Call for Applications

Deadline: June 30, 2023 at 18:00 KST

Background

Low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) face significant inequities in terms of access to vaccines and other biologics and are making efforts to establish biological manufacturing in their regions. Establishing such manufacturing capacity, through bilateral technology transfer or through local R&D efforts is frequently hampered by the lack of a workforce trained in biomanufacturing.

To address this gap and to build the biomanufacturing capacity in LMICs, the World Health Organization (WHO) and the Ministry of Health and Welfare of the Republic of South Korea (MoHWK) are working towards establishing the first of its kind Global Training Hub for Biomanufacturing (GTH-B).

The hub is mandated to provide training in manufacturing of high-quality vaccines and biologics in an industrial setting to resolve inequality in access to vaccines and biologics worldwide by expanding manufacturing capacity in LMICs.

In 2022, two training courses, an introductory course for biologics development & manufacturing and an introductory course for global standards practice (GxP) were organized by the International Vaccine Institute (IVI) in Seoul, South Korea for about 325 participants from more than 30 LMICs.

For the second year in a row, the Republic of Korea in agreement with WHO organized a new training operated by IVI focusing on introduction to biologics development & manufacturing in June 2023 for more than 150 trainees from LMICs. The 2nd GxP course for the year 2023 is being launched in October per the details below.

Monday, October 30 – Friday, November 17, 2023 (3 Weeks)

Proposed dates for the 2023 Introductory Training Course for Standard Practice (GxP)

Scope

The purpose of this introductory course for standard practices is to equip the participants representing the biomanufacturing workforce from LMICs with essential skills required to operate according to current good practices. This course will be conducted in-person over three weeks and will include didactic and practice sessions on Good Laboratory Practice, Good Clinical Practice, Good Clinical Laboratory Practice, Good Manufacturing Practice, and biosafety.  The course is targeting technicians, engineers or managers employed by an entity formally registered in LMICs and currently involved in the production of bioproducts including vaccines, therapeutics, monoclonal antibodies, etc.

However, due to the restricted number of attendees (120), priorities will be given to 1) manufacturers identified as recipients of mRNA technology from the technology transfer initiative led by WHO and COVAX and 2) participants from LMICs.

Support awarded are not transferrable from one individual to another or from one session to another.  Participants must be committed to return to their home institution after completion of the training.  Participants will have to demonstrate in their application how the experience gained during the training program will be applied upon return to their home organization.

Expected impact

At the end of the training, all participants will be equipped with the knowledge and skills required to operate in a biomanufacturing facility according to international standards. By investing in workforce development, the hub will support ongoing initiatives in local bioproduction and will strengthen knowledge sharing between manufacturers.

Eligibility

Applicants are required to have the following qualifications to be considered eligible for the course:

• An education background in a life science field
• A position as a technician, engineer, scientist, or manager with up to 6 years of experience in biomanufacturing or any other relevant functions
• Employment by a company registered as a legal entity in a LMIC conducting activities in the scope of biomanufacturing
• Nationality or citizenship of, and residency in, a LMIC
• At least an intermediate level of spoken and written English language
• Demonstrate in the application how the skills and competencies acquired during the training will be applied after the training in the institution the participant is coming from
• Demonstrate in the application the relevance to professional project
• Demonstrate in the application the expectations, knowledge, skills, and expectations from their own institution

Application procedure

The online application form is available at the following link: https://ivionlinecampus.www.ivi.int/courses/

The following information must be provided:

1. First and family name
2. Date of birth, gender, and other personal information
3. Copy of information page of passport
4. Name, address, telephone number and e-mail address of institution where the applicant is employed
5. Educational qualifications and level of English proficiency
6. A description of the applicant’s current post
7. A description of the applicant’s current work/ interests
8. A description of competencies and skills the applicant would like to acquire during the training
9. A description of how the applicant, if selected, plans to apply the acquired skills and knowledge after returning to home country/institution
10. An endorsement from the Director of the applicant’s institution testifying the ability of the applicant to successfully undertake the training proposed and certifying the applicant’s current employment. The Director also must indicate how the proposed training will strengthen the institution’s capability, to develop bioproducts. (Endorsement letter sample is available at application website)

Deadline for submission of proposals

All applications must be submitted online at https://ivionlinecampus.www.ivi.int/ by 30 June 2023 18:00 (KST)

Selection process

The selection process includes the following steps:

• Eligible applications will be reviewed by the selection committee formed by members recommended by MoHW in South Korea and WHO.
• When the selection process is completed, the selected participant will be informed by e-mail, upon which the following administrative arrangements will be made.
• Due to limited capacity, up to 5 participants maximum from each organization will be allowed to participate. The decision for the selection will be made by the selection committee.
• For the institutions involved in animal vaccine production only and wishing to send participants to the training, a letter from the institution should be addressed to the GTH-B with a statement regarding an institutional plan to expand its scope to human vaccine.

Financial provisions

Course is free of charge to participants. Accommodation and breakfast will be provided during the course days and over the weekends. Lunch and light dinner will be provided during the course days only and will not be provided on the weekends.

The trip cost to/from Seoul, South Korea will NOT be provided. Applicants must secure the traveling costs at their own expense.

Gender

MoHW in South Korea and WHO are committed to Equality, Diversity, and Inclusivity in science. Qualified applicants are encouraged to apply irrespective of gender identity, sexual orientation, ethnicity, religious, cultural, and social backgrounds, or (dis)ability status.

For further information

For questions related to this course, please contact gthb.coordinator@www.ivi.int.

The receipt of the applications will be automatically acknowledged via return email from gthb.coordinator@www.ivi.int. Applicants who do not receive an acknowledgement within the specified time should contact gthb.coordinator@www.ivi.int.

An acknowledgement of the application receipt does not imply that the application is complete and eligible for review.